The NBA coaches, and both Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins will be considered candidates for the team’s leadership opening.
New York Knicks Focused On Two Recently Fired NBA Coaches
After their most successful season in the past quarter-century, the Knicks fired their head coach following their loss in the Eastern Conference Finals. The decision to let Tom Thibodeau go was one met with plenty of criticism, but New York felt that a new face at the helm could help them get over the hump next season and beyond.
But the search for their next leader has started off rocky. Over the last week, the Knicks have requested interviews with five coaches that already have jobs, including Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets. All five times, their requests have been denied.
The Knicks are expected to pursue Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins, per @sam_amick
“…league sources say there is an increased Knicks focus on two former coaches who don’t require permission to pursue: Mike Brown (last with the Sacramento Kings) and Taylor Jenkins (formerly of the… pic.twitter.com/pb4RUQRMpn
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 12, 2025
So, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, they will now have an “increased focus” on two candidates that they don’t need permission to speak to.
Mike Brown was the first mid-season firing of the 2025-26 NBA season. After winning the Coach of the Year Award just two seasons back, Brown was let go by the Sacramento Kings in a controversial move in December. A few months later, the Memphis Grizzlies made a surprise move when they let Taylor Jenkins go after he racked up the most wins in franchise history during his six-year tenure.
Amick said that sources point to both Brown and Jenkins as the coaches that they’ll pursue in the coming days.
The Knicks finished the 2024-25 NBA season with a 51-31 record, and advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time 1999-2000. Their shortcomings were on display as their season came to an end, and there could be a significant roster shakeup before the start of the next campaign in October.
But no matter if Karl-Anthony Towns is on the roster or not, there will be a new leader in charge for the year. Will it be one of Brown or Jenkins, though?
